Bookstore Chains, Long in Decline, Are Undergoing a Final Shakeout

Bookstore Chains, Long in Decline, Are Undergoing a Final Shakeout
“The age of the physical chain of bookstores is behind us — unless you don’t need to be profitable,” said Daniel Goldin,
the owner of Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee, the sole surviving descendant of a local chain that began in 1927.
“Books aren’t going away, but bookstores are,” said Matthew Duket, a Book World sales associate waiting for customers in the West Bend, Wis., store.
Glenn Butts, a flight instructor and pastor browsing among the bargains in West Bend, said he bought books
“50 percent in person, 50 percent online.” In the future, he said, “it will probably be all online.”
Still, he had his regrets.
“Sales in our mall stores are down this year from 30 to 60 percent,” said Bill Streur, Book World’s owner.
“I don’t like doing things online, so I won’t be buying books there,” said Susan Briggs,
a former substitute teacher buying a collection of Emerson essays in Mequon.
Family Christian Stores, which had 240 stores that sold books
and other religious merchandise, closed this year, not long after Hastings Entertainment, a retailer of books, music and video games with 123 stores, declared bankruptcy and then shut down.